


Moving Day

by sidebysidewithafriend



Category: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan
Genre: Asexual Character, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Happy Ending, Kissing, M/M, No Sex, blitz and hearth are idiots, demiromantic hearthstone, ft how they met
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22488016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidebysidewithafriend/pseuds/sidebysidewithafriend
Summary: Blitz’s new shop needs to be set up. And so, perhaps, does a new relationship.
Relationships: Blitzen/Hearthstone
Comments: 8
Kudos: 88





	Moving Day

**Author's Note:**

> post Sword of Summer

_ Last? _ signed Hearth. 

Blitz brushed a speck of dust from the shoulder of his shirt, studying Hearth’s face. He knew exactly how many boxes were left to move, and it was more than zero, but the elf was looking paler than usual. If that was possible. As he watched, Hearth swayed a little and put a hand on the wall for support. “No. But I’ll get the rest. You need a break.” 

_ I’m fine, _ he insisted, releasing the wall to sign with both hands. 

“No. You’ve been working all day.” 

Hearth’s lips twisted into a wry grin.  _ Didn’t want you getting your nice clothes dirty.  _

“Very funny. Sit down. I’ll get the boxes.” 

Hearth made a face, but sat down in the chair Blitz had indicated.  _ Why so worried?  _

As he crouched to lift the first box, Blitz did have to wonder. Why was he so worried? “Because you’re my friend,” he said, setting the box down. “And I don’t like seeing you overwork yourself.” 

Something flickered in Hearth’s expression, but all he signed was,  _ I’m fine. _

_ No, you’re not, _ thought Blitz, looking at the way Hearth had slumped into the armchair. His pale hair had started to grow out, falling over his forehead into his eyes. He looked exhausted. “Wait there a minute while I finish grabbing these boxes.” 

_ Yes, mother, _ Hearth signed sarcastically. 

The second box was heavier; Blitz would need to empty out some of its contents before he moved it. As he worked, he recalled the day he’d first met Hearth. He’d found the elf curled up on the street not far from Blitz’s own house, his pale hair and skin a spot of light in the darkness of Nidavellir. On closer inspection, though, the elf seemed to be fading, as though he were becoming translucent. 

_ Blitz knelt by the elf’s side and shook his shoulder. No movement, but when he felt the stranger’s wrist there was a pulse. He appeared unharmed, though. Just unconscious. So what could be wrong?  _

_ His father had told him once about Alfheim, mostly to warn Blitz never to go there. It was a place full of sunlight, that would petrify a dwarf even more easily than Midgard.  _

_ Sunlight. Nidavellir was dark, without sunlight at all. Could it be that the elf needed sunlight? As Blitz had the thought, the stranger stirred. His eyes opened and fixed on Blitz’s face; he gestured weakly with one hand. Blitz frowned. The stranger made the movement again; the hand formed a flattened O shape and circled once before moving downwards, opening a little. Some form of sign language, Blitz assumed. He couldn’t understand it, but perhaps the stranger could read his lips. He tried to speak slowly. “I don’t know what you’re saying. Can you stand? My house is just here.”  _

_ The stranger mimed writing. Blitz nodded. “Inside. Can you stand?”  _

_ The elf shook his head. Blitz held out a hand to help him to a sitting position, then draped the elf’s arm across his shoulders. The elf was largely dead weight, but Blitz was strong; despite the awkwardness of their differing heights, they somehow managed to make it all the way to Blitz’s front door. The elf clutched at the doorframe while Blitz fumbled for his keys, considering his next moves. Stairs would be tricky, but hopefully they’d make it. If need be, the elf was very light in spite of his height. Blitz could, perhaps, carry him. He turned to his companion as he shoved the key into the lock. “I live on the third floor. How long can you manage?”  _

_ As he’d predicted, he effectively had to carry the stranger up the last flight of stairs, where he promptly collapsed on Blitz’s couch. Blitz found a pen and paper; slowly, the stranger wrote SUN.  _

_ “Sunlight,” said Blitz. “You need sunlight.”  _

_ The stranger nodded.  _

_ “This is Nidavellir. There’s no sun here.”  _

_ FAKE?  _

_ Blitz frowned. Could he craft something? He wasn’t the greatest of crafters… but an idea was starting to form in his mind. A table that would make artificial sunlight. That might revive the stranger. He couldn’t keep thinking of this elf as ‘the stranger’, though. “What’s your name?”  _

_ HEARTHSTONE  _

_ “Nice to meet you, Hearthstone. I’m Blitzen, Blitz for short. Sorry that I can’t understand your signs -- that’s got to be really annoying for you.”  _

_ CAN READ LIPS. CAN’T HEAR.  _

_ “Right. I’m going to see if I can make something to help you. Knock on the table or something if you need my attention.”  _

_ Hearthstone nodded, and Blitz turned his attention to the image in his head.  _

_ It took him about an hour and a half to make, which was pretty good. He’d been able to use leftover parts from a project that had lain abandoned for several weeks; when he flicked the switch, the top of the table lit up. So did Hearthstone’s expression. He held up a hand. Blitz helped him up and over to the table, where he lay down with his back to Blitz. His body relaxed like he was sinking into the light table and he let out a soft sigh.  _

_ Blitz left him there and went to find some food. He hadn’t eaten in several hours; that was supposed to be the first thing he did when he came home, and even beyond that, crafting was exhausting.  _

_ Once he’d eaten, he returned to check on Hearthstone, who hadn’t moved. His chest rose and fell smoothly; Blitz guessed he was asleep. So he left a note on the coffee table saying he’d gone to bed, in case Hearthstone woke up first.  _

_ When he woke, he found Hearthstone sitting on the couch looking much better than he had the previous night. His cheeks were a rosy pink and his eyes shone. He waved good morning, and Blitz smiled. “Sleep well?”  _

_ Hearthstone fumbled for the paper and wrote THANK YOU FOR THE TABLE.  _

_ “No problem,” said Blitz. “Are you hungry?”  _

_ Hearthstone considered the question. WHAT FOOD?  _

_ “I have some spring rolls?” They were the remains of yesterday’s dinner, but he could microwave them. They’d probably be fine.  _

_ NEVER TRIED. YES PLEASE.  _

_ Blitz nodded and headed for the kitchen, still watching Hearthstone over the kitchen counter. Yesterday he’d been preoccupied with getting Hearthstone inside and making the table. Now that he wasn’t half-dead, though, the elf was not bad-looking. His fair hair was short and spiky, his eyes a light grey colour. From the right angle, the veins under his skin showed green. When he tucked his pale hands into the pockets of his black jacket, his body seemed to disappear into Blitz’s couch.  _

_ Blitz wondered where he’d come from. How had an elf ended up in Nidavellir? He pushed the START button on the microwave and ducked into the cupboard for some plates.  _

_ Hearthstone accepted the plate of slightly soggy spring rolls with a polite nod. Blitz sat down opposite with his own and took a bite. He chewed, swallowed, and asked, “How did you get here?”  _

_ Still with a mouthful of spring roll, Hearthstone leaned forward and wrote, TRIED TO USE MAGIC. DIDN’T WORK. NOT SURE HOW I GOT HERE.  _

_ “You come from Alfheim?” Blitz also had several questions about ‘magic’, but he’d get to that in a minute.  _

_ YES. Hearthstone’s face suggested he was less than pleased about this topic of conversation.  _

_ “I gather you don’t want to go back?”  _

_ NO _

_ Hearthstone hesitated. FATHER DOESN’T LIKE A DEAF CHILD. BROKEN CHILD _

_ Blitz, a dwarf who didn’t like to craft, wasn’t exactly popular among dwarves. But his parents loved him and at least tried to encourage him. He could only imagine how much worse it must have been for Hearthstone.  _

_ Hearthstone’s face had gone stony. Blitz cast around for another subject. “So. Magic?”  _

_ RUNE MAGIC. He fumbled in his pocket and held up a small stone; he turned it, and Blitz saw it was inscribed with a symbol like a capital M, missing its right vertical post and with a reflection of the zigzag at its base too. Almost like an empty cup, tipped on its side.  _

_ NOT MANY PRACTITIONERS NOW. TRIED TO LEARN ON MY OWN  _

_ NOW HERE _

_ The pen hovered for a moment above the paper. Then Hearthstone wrote THANK YOU AGAIN. MAGIC  _

_ He paused.  _

_ MAGIC DEPLETES STRENGTH. WITHOUT SUNLIGHT TOO, I WOULD HAVE DIED.  _

_ Blitz shrugged. “Like I said, you’re welcome. What else was I to do?”  _

_ DON’T THINK ALL DWARVES WOULD.  _

_ ELVES WOULD NOT DO IT FOR A DWARF _

_ “You found the right street to collapse on, I guess. Where are you going from here? I doubt you could stay here.”  _

_ MIDGARD  _

_ SUNLIGHT THERE _

_ NOT BACK TO ALFHEIM  _

_ Blitz nodded slowly. That reminded him… “I can come with you.”  _

_ Hearthstone shook his head. I WILL BE FINE.  _

_ “I’ve been meaning to leave anyway. Most dwarves like to craft. Me, not so much. I prefer fashion. I’d been thinking Midgard would be a better place to pursue that.”  _

_ YOU MADE THE TABLE _

_ “Yes, but… I’m nowhere near as good as most of the dwarves down here.”  _

_ YOU STILL MADE THE TABLE. CRAFTED.  _

_ IT IS A VERY GOOD TABLE  _

_ Blitz smiled. It was pretty good. Anything that could save a life was pretty good.  _

_ HOW TO GET THERE? TO MIDGARD.  _

_ “I think I know where we can move between worlds.”  _

_ Hearthstone nodded. IF WE TRAVEL TOGETHER I CAN TEACH YOU TO SIGN.  _

_ “Thank goodness. It feels awful to make you write all this.”  _

_ WE CAN MAKE PLANS. I WILL USE THE TABLE IN THE MEANTIME.  _

_ Blitz nodded and stood up, reaching over for Hearthstone’s empty plate. “Alright, then, Hearth -- can I call you Hearth?”  _

_ I LIKE THAT. He smiled, a real smile. The expression brought a smile to Blitz’s own face.  _

_ Hearth placed the fingers of his flat hand to his lips, then lowered them forward. Then he wrote MEANS THANK YOU. FOR TABLE, FOOD, AND TRAVEL.  _

_ “How do I say ‘you’re welcome’?” said Blitz, and Hearth showed him. Blitz repeated the motion, though he was sure it wasn’t quite right. It felt stilted, which wasn’t unexpected considering it was his first attempt. Nonetheless, the attempt made Hearth smile again.  _

_ Perhaps Midgard would be a better place for both of them.  _

Blitz tested the box. It was now just light enough to lift, so he picked it up and staggered inside with it. While he’d been reminiscing, Hearth had recovered somewhat. He’d shuffled his chair into a ray of fading sunlight slanting through the window, which had helped. Now he leaned back in the seat, head tipped back and his red-and-white scarf thrown over his face, snoring softly. 

Blitz smiled fondly as he set the box down. Just the remains of this box and one other, and then he could stay in here and unpack. And, fortunately, when he did so he wouldn’t wake the sleeping elf. The unpacking was likely to be loud, but that wouldn’t bother Hearth. 

~

The shop still looked like a garbage dump, but now slightly less so. Some of the important stuff was actually on shelves now. Blitz surveyed the area; despite the large stacks of unshelved goods, he smiled. Even though it had tired Hearth out, he was glad his friend had helped. It would have taken so much longer to move everything on his own. Maybe tomorrow, after he’d actually figured out where everything should be, he could ask Hearth to help him put things away. He glanced at the list lying on what would eventually be the counter; so far he’d only planned the layout of part of the shop. But no matter. There was time. 

A soft knock on the doorframe made him look up; Hearth stuck his head in, still looking slightly disheveled but otherwise refreshed. There was a soft pink glow in his cheeks and the setting sun behind him turned his fluffy hair to a bright halo. The sight brought an involuntary smile to Blitz’s lips. “You feeling better?” 

_ Yes, _ signed Hearth.  _ Are you staying?  _

“I should probably go home soon,” Blitz admitted. “The rest of the unpacking can wait.” 

_ I can help. Tomorrow. You look tired like me.  _

Blitz chuckled. Now that he thought about it, he was quite tired. 

_ Shop can wait. You worked hard.  _ Hearth smiled fondly.  _ Going to be the best shop around. I know it.  _

Blitz’s cheeks warmed. He knew his fashion was good, but a part of him still worried that Hearth’s prediction would be an overstatement. Still, it was sweet of him to say. “Alright. I’m going to tidy up this mess --” he indicated a particularly untidy pile in one corner “-- and then I’ll go home and sleep.” 

_ Good plan. Have to look after yourself too.  _

“I know, I know. I’m as bad as you, apparently.” 

Hearth looked mildly affronted.  _ I’m not that bad.  _

“Yes, you are.” Blitz grinned. “Fortunately, we have each other.” He knelt by the pile he’d indicated; a few moments later, Hearth joined him and they tidied in silence for a while. Then Hearth tapped Blitz on the shoulder.  _ Magnus taught me a new word. _

Blitz’s first thought was that it might be a swear word. But usually Hearth taught Magnus to swear in sign language, rather than Magnus teaching Hearth new words. He gestured for Hearth to go on. 

Frowning in concentration, Hearth spelled out,  _ A-S-E-X-U-A-L.  _

“Oh, I think I’ve heard of that. Someone who doesn’t experience sexual attraction, yes?” A flush crept up Blitz’s neck, though he wasn’t entirely sure why talking about this with Hearth was weird.  _ Do you like him?  _ he asked himself. Magnus had teased them about it once; at the time, his answer had been no. Now, just thinking back to the time he’d spent with Hearth these past few days… he wasn’t too sure. 

Hearth swallowed and pointed at himself.  _ Me. _

Blitz nodded slowly, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. “I’m glad you’ve found a label for your experiences, buddy.” He knew the term didn’t necessarily apply to romance; he had to ask. “Does it mean you don’t want a relationship?” 

_ Not necessarily. Not sure.  _

He stacked the final few items into place with another nod. He wanted to be happy for Hearth, he really did. Actually, he was. He was happy for Hearth. He was sad for himself. 

~

_ I told Blitz, _ signed Hearth.  _ Made him sad.  _

Magnus covered his mouth, but Hearth could still see the smile he was trying to hide. He quirked an eyebrow. 

“Sorry. I think I can guess why he’s sad, is all.” 

_ What do you mean?  _

“He likes you, silly.” 

Hearth wasn’t quite sure what to make of that, honestly.  _ Like romance?  _

Magnus grinned. “Yes, like romance. He  _ like-likes _ you, if you want me to put it that way. But do you like him?” 

Hearth began to sign,  _ I’m A-S- _

Magnus raised a hand to cut him off. “You might still like him romantically. That’s a thing.” 

_ Don’t know. Don’t think I ever liked anyone like that?  _ He signed it slowly, considering. At the time, Hearth hadn’t understood what that meant, why anyone would care about such things. But lately, the way he’d been thinking about Blitz was… different.  _ I don’t know what it would…  _ he paused.  _ What it would be like.  _

“I have the opposite problem,” said Magnus. “I don’t know what it’s like for you not to experience it. But one of the other  _ einherjar _ I was talking to about this did tell me about the idea of being demiromantic.” 

_ What’s that?  _

“That’s where you only experience attraction -- in this case, romantic attraction -- to someone after an emotional connection has been established.” 

Hearth nodded slowly, a gesture too simple for the large mix of confusing emotions clamouring for his attention inside him. Maybe he did like Blitz. He tried fitting that label to the warm feeling in his stomach. It did seem right, somehow. He smiled. 

Magnus grinned as well. “Looks like you’ve got some feelings to figure out. I’ll leave you to it, because if I don’t get going now I’m going to be late for coffee with Sam.” 

_ And Sam will be angry if you’re late.  _

“Exactly. We see each other little enough as is.” Magnus stood and brushed loose grass cuttings off his trousers. “I will say this, though. Don’t feel obliged to rush things, or choose a label that doesn’t fit, just because you want to make Blitz happy. He might be sad, but I’m sure he’d be happy just to be your friend. And if he isn’t, that’s on him. Not you.” 

_ Thank you.  _ Would Hearth be happy with that, though? 

~ 

Blitz puttered happily around his shop; Hearth watched silently, leaning on the doorframe. The movements reminded him of the first time he’d seen Blitz craft, making the table that had saved his life. But now he looked far happier; he stood straighter, moved with more confidence, and as he stood back and surveyed his work, he seemed to glow with satisfaction. Hearth smiled to himself. 

If Magnus were here, he’d probably tell Hearth to “get on with” his plan. During the past couple of days, he and Blitz hadn’t discussed anything of the kind again, just worked to put the shop in order and discussed Hearth’s new magic classes with the All-Father. Hearth had been thinking, though. And now he needed answers on where things stood with Blitz. 

Blitz turned and started at the sight of Hearth. “Oh, hey, buddy. Didn’t hear you come in.” 

_ I definitely didn’t, _ signed Hearth with a small grin. 

Blitz laughed. “True that. What do you think?” He made a sweeping gesture that encompassed the shop, now clean and shining. 

_ Looks wonderful. Is it just like you wanted?  _

“Yes! No. It’s even better!” Blitz bounced on the balls of his feet and clapped his hands. “It’s perfect!” He turned once more, taking in the space. Then he turned back to face Hearth, and his ecstatic expression faltered. “What’s up, buddy? You look like you wanna talk about something.” 

Hearth swallowed. How in the Nine Worlds was he supposed to say what he wanted to say? 

Blitz took a step forward, his gaze intent on Hearth’s face. “You ok?” 

Hearth grabbed the lapels of Blitz’s jacket and leaned down to plant a kiss on his lips. It was a short one, but even that left Hearth’s head spinning. Judging by Blitz’s expression, he was feeling similar. 

_ I like you, _ Hearth signed.  _ Like that.  _ He hesitated, then repeated the statement with a different sign: the sign for love. 

Blitz was starting to grin. Hearth added,  _ Sorry it took so long to figure out.  _

“Took me a long time to figure out, too,” said Blitz. “Better late than never, I guess?” He stood on tiptoes, one hand cradling Hearth’s jaw, and kissed him again. 

Hearth managed one coherent thought before all he could focus on was Blitz, Blitz and the fact that he was  _ kissing him _ . The thought was that this felt very, very  _ right _ . 


End file.
